Next To You
by Val-Creative
Summary: Friendship and love has tested Allura's limits, her knowledge, her instincts. She agrees to come to Earth with Lance, during the height of summer, to visit and learn all there is to know about his home. Maybe it's less of a place she longs for — a person would do just as well. /Post-Canon. Allurance. Oneshot.


**.**

 **.**

Traveling across the multitude of galaxies had been a secret wish.

Allura wished so greatly for an adventure since she had been no more than a youngling. And then one day, after her adventures and travels were done, she would find a place so _extraordinary_ and splendid and overflowing with warmth and familiarity that it could ease her restless heart.

"I'll show you all of the best places, I swear," Lance proclaims, as soon as they arrive on Earth.

He offers out his hand, leaping into the desert-sand, and beams. Allura recognizes the scent in the breathable, temperate atmosphere — like high frequency _star_ -rays and thickened moisture and carbon. Seemingly established factors to a thriving, livable planet, due to the need of oxygen.

She trusts Lance without question. Voltron has gone their separate ways for now, as an era of peace and prosperity begins. They have all fought together valiantly, cherished a friendship that is beyond speech and the physicals of the body — _Lance kisses her for the first time during a small, grandiose ceremony on Xiaf, where the moons glow ruby-red, where public lovemaking goes on commonly, and Allura feels every part of him hard and heavy through their threadbare robes_ —

Friendship and love has tested Allura's limits, her knowledge, her instincts.

Maybe it's less of a place she longs for — a _person_ would do just as well. A silly, loving human who cracks jokes at every opportune moment, who is handsome and brave and compassionate.

(Allura's fingers outstretch, wrapping gently around Lance's wide-open hand.)

 **.**

 **.**

She discovers that humans call it _summer —_ where their planet's heat and humidity intensifies during certain months, and the garments on their limbs are looser and shorter.

Allura tries to get into the spirit of the summer, adorning herself up a dusky-rose colored t-shirt, a pair of jean overalls and bright white, worn sneakers on her feet. They all belonged to Lance's sister. She and Lance wander over to some park benches by a grassy area and a nearby swing-set, after Lance bought her some _ice cream_ from a musical, gigantic truck that slowly rolled by.

"It's like a milkshake, but better," he explains. His burst of laughter reaches her ears when Allura takes a large, eager bite of her chocolate-and-vanilla twist cone, and squeals in delight.

 _Sugar_ may be her favorite thing about human invention.

Lances finishes up his mint chocolate-chip cone more quickly than her, and stares out into the distance. A girl with shiny, yellow hair and a man pass by the bike-rack, holding hands. Allura notices her too, with her big, brown eyes and slender waist and complexion similar to Lance's.

"… She's very pretty," Allura observes, her voice soft and toneless.

He startles for a moment, as if pulling out of a daze, glancing at her. "Definitely not as pretty as you," Lance says reassuringly, tucking an arm behind Allura and resting it on the top of the bench.

Allura wrinkles her rounded, brown nose, the corners of her lips tilting up. "I appreciate the compliment, Lance, but I didn't mean it like I was jealous of her." She nods towards the girl disappearing towards the street with her male companion, blending in with the crowd swarming together. "Men, women, other species… they're _all_ worthy of sexual and romantic attraction, are they not?"

Lance's eyes widen and blink rapidly. " _Yeah_ ," he mumbles, shaking his head and going upright. "Yeah, of course." A jogger comes into view, with sunglasses and headphones and a build like Shiro. "That dude?" Lance points to him, as soon as he passes by, and gives her a smile. "I'd let him smash."

"Smash?"

"Oh, _uhhhh_ …" His clearwater blue eyes widen again, this time in obvious and ever-growing embarrassment. "He could, like, crush me with his muscles all he wants and… … god, that sounds really bad," Lance announces to himself and looks down, visibly grimacing.

When he bents forward, rubbing his hands over his face, Allura chuckles and touches Lance's shoulder. "I think I understand. You would allow him to have sexual intercourse with you if he was so inclined."

Lance doesn't say anything at first, only flustered, and then he looks up, admitting, "I've… I've never been with a guy." There's a sheepish and vulnerable air to him. Allura continues to stare gently at his profile, stroking her fingers lightly over the back of Lance's shoulders. "I've _kissed_ other guys, but I don't think I would be against… doing the other stuff, I guess…" A nervous, higher-sounding laugh. "You said you liked girls?" Lance adds, hopefully changing the subject.

"The binary gender that humans have mentally internalized is nonexistent to my people." Allura then smiles gleefully, her dimples popping. "But yes, humans that present themselves as girls are _very_ pretty to me," she answers, basking in the sight of Lance relaxing and smiling back.

" _Glad we have something else in common_ …"

His words float against Allura's mouth, like a faint, sweet buzzing, Lance's skin on hers.

 **.**

 **.**

The skies pale away from a brilliant cerulean into lilacs and golds. Eventually, they wander down towards the beach, where everyone else packs up their towels and bags, heading home. Lance waves to the strangers when they greet them with their own hand-waves, tugging off his shoes in the process.

Heat-drenched, wet sand squishes between Allura's toes. She walks with bare feet along with Lance in a comfortable, long silence, where the tide drags foamy, dark waters up to their ankles.

"Did you have any beaches on Altea?"

Lance does not ask out of cruelty for her memories, no matter how painful they may be still. He only wishes to _know_ her. Allura inhales sharply in her chest, peering over to the horizon's darkness, where all colors stretch apart and deepen into nightfall. "They did, but not like this," she replies as if wistful. "The oceans were thicker, warmer. They never glittered in the moon's light."

Allura half turns from where she is, tucking a cloud-soft ringlet of white, short hair over her ear. She meets their gazes solemnly, her lips flattening together.

"Thank you for showing me this, Lance. Your planet is so beautiful."

There's barely any _star_ -light left, but she can witness Lance's face easing into a pleasant, adoring smile. Like it's only meant for her. "You're welcome," he murmurs. With a small, teasing kick in her direction, Lance splashes Allura's legs with cold ocean-water, leaving her to gasp and shiver, to kick and splash him harder and laugh in Lance's muscular arms wrapping around her, her belly aching.

It's time for _this_ adventure: staying in one place, creating new memories.

 **.**

 **.**

* * *

 _Voltron isn't mine. I'm still so hyped that S6 gave us the Allurance it did and how it sold it to me. I'm such a huge fan now. Lance has developed so much over the seasons, and I wanted something sweet and soft and precious to make for them. This fic was made for the Allurance Summer Exchange on Tumblr and for Ascindio (Ascindio-vld on Tumblr) who wanted nothing with angst so here we go! I'd love to hear your thoughts, guys! Comments inspire me to do more! :)  
_


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